The number of sex abuse reports to police have more than doubled in the last five years in the Thames Valley due to the "Jimmy Savile effect".

A convicted sex offender who attacked a 16-year-old girl after dragging her into bushes months before raping a woman is jailed.

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

That's it for regular updates from Beds, Herts and Bucks until tomorrow morning at 08:00, unless there's any breaking news overnight.  

If you haven't noticed, #InternationalCatDay is trending on Twitter so we thought we'd get involved as we say goodnight.

Mishka and Milashki, rare Amur tiger cubs, were born at Woburn Safari Park in September.  

Here they are enjoying some new toys and generally larking about

Image source, Bridget Davey Photography/Woburn Safari Park

Image source, Bridget Davey Photography/Woburn Safari Park

Image source, Bridget Davey Photography/Woburn Safari Park

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

The judge in the case of convicted rapist Christopher Parsons (pictured) has praised a 16-year-old who was also attacked by him in June last year.

The girl was dragged into a hedgerow in Musley Lane in Ware and managed to hold off Parsons and shout for help, despite being punched repeatedly in the face, before he ran off.

Andrew Bright QC told St Albans Crown Court: "I want to praise the courage and fortitude of this 16-year-old girl.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

"He was very much stronger and heavier than her. She fought like a tigress.

"She fought him off and did so in a way that caused an injury to his knee that would tie in with the DNA later recovered.

"I would like her to know I am filled with admiration for the way she behaved that night."

BBC Weather

After a few evening showers, it'll be a largely dry night with clear spells.

Feeling chilly, with temperatures falling to single figures in rural areas.

Image source, BBC Weather

After a chilly start, Tuesday will be fine and dry with good spells of sunshine. Thicker cloud could produce a few showers, but many places will remain dry.

temperatures expected to reach 20C (68F).

BBC Weather has more details for you.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

A convicted rapist dragged a 16-year-old girl into bushes in Ware, Hertfordshire, and then raped a woman in Hertford after returning to this country from the US.

Christopher Parsons, 41, of Castle Street, Hertford, beat the teenager and told her he would kill her in an attack six months before he raped a 52-year-old woman who described his "evil grin" as he threw her around like a "rag doll".

Jailing Parsons for life at St Albans Crown Court today, Judge Andrew Bright QC told him: "You are a violent manipulative man who poses a serious danger to women. 

"It is difficult to overstate the level of danger you pose."

Parsons returned to the UK from jail in California in March 2013, having been convicted of rape and serving 13 years of a 17-year sentence.

On this day in 1963, a criminal gang stole millions of pounds from a train at Sears Crossing in Buckinghamshire.

Image source, Getty Images

The mail train was carrying post from Glasgow in Scotland to London in England. 

They escaped with 120 bags of cash, totalling more than £2.5m - which would be worth a whopping £40m in today's money. The train driver, Jack Mills, was badly hurt and never fully recovered, while most of the gang were captured and received long jail sentences.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

A woman's in a serious condition after a road crash in Bedford on Friday night. 

Image source, Google

She was walking in Ashburnham Road at about 23:20 when she was involved in a collision with a white Honda Civic heading towards Midlands Road. 

The woman, who's in her 40s, was taken to Bedford Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrooke's in Cambridge where her condition has stabilised.

Police who stopped an overweight van on the M25 were surprised to find half a tonne of frozen kebab meat inside.

Sophie Sulehria
BBC Three Counties Radio

Around 20,000 new homes, schools and shops may be built to the north of Milton Keynes. 

It would be located on countryside running from Little Linford, through Haversham and up to Castlethorpe, as first reported by the MK Citizen, external.

Image source, Google

Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Crooks says it's estimated by 2050 the population of the area will be "around 400,000... compared with 273,000 now".

"To provide for that number of people, we think we've got to build around 1,750 houses per year," he said.

But the former Conservative council leader, Andrew Geary, says there's no point building a huge new development, unless the right homes are built.

He said: "We're building at just over 1,100 per year not 1,750... and the reason we're not delivering on that is because we rely on a small number of large=scale developers who get their heads together and who manager to release just the number of houses to keep the house price where they want it.

"We need to find a way to deal with smaller developers in whose interest it is to get on and deliver them."

A man was stabbed in Luton last night after it's believed he confronted a group of men who were vandalising cars. 

Image source, Google

Police say reports suggest he was approached by a group of around five men in the Trinity Road area at about 23:00. 

The man was taken to hospital where he's said to be in a serious condition. 

Bedfordshire Police, external are appealing for anyone who saw what happened, or had their car damaged, to get in touch.

Hertfordshire gymnast Max Whitlock will go for gold at the Rio Olympics later this evening.

The World Champion and double Olympic medallist Max Whitlock joins Brinn Bevan, Kristian Thomas, Nile Wilson and Louis Smith MBE to form the men's Team GB all-around gymnastics team.

The action kicks-off at 20:00 our time with full coverage from BBC Sport.

BBC Sport

Solid, solid stuff from Great Britain in heat one of the men's eight rowing, with Bedford's Phelan Hill, world champion and Olympic bronze medallist as cox.

They've eased their way through to Saturday's final with a comfortable victory. And were they maybe holding back a little once they saw their place was safe?

Netherlands in second, New Zealand in third, Italy in fourth - they're all in with another shout in the repechage.

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

The sun was shining on Luton's Wardown Park this weekend as thousands of people enjoyed the sizzling weather, entertainment and food at Mela.

The town often hits the headlines for the wrong reasons, whether it's radicalisation or the recent violence following the Luton Carnival. 

But, organisers say THIS is what Luton is really about.

Up to 50,000 people were expected across the two-day celebration and there was plenty to keep them busy from music and dancing to food ... and a bit more food.  

After more than 380,000 people took part in our Euro 2016 Predictor game, BBC Sport launches a new version for the domestic season.

Gail Sanderson
BBC Three Counties Radio

Investigators have confirmed that a motorcyclist who died in a road traffic collision in Buckinghamshire was a 28-year-old man from Berkshire. 

His bike was in collision with another motorbike and a Mercedes on the A355 Amersham Road near Coleshill on 31 July.

The young man was airlifted to hospital, but later died from his injuries. A man on the second motorcycle was in collision with the first bike, the Mercedes and a Skoda car. He suffered serious leg injuries. 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, external is investigating the incident because a police vehicle was already at the scene when the collision took place. They are asking any witnesses to contact them.  

BBC Weather Watchers

It will continue to brighten up through the afternoon and it'll feel pleasant in the sunshine. 

One or two showers are possible, but the brisk wind will slowly ease leaving a maximum temperature of 20C (68F).

Thank you to BBC Weather Watcher "warepainter" for this shot in Ware earlier.

Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio

A man who was knocked down on the A421 in Bedfordshire has been named as Daniel Bainsfair.

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

Mr Bainsfair, 32, of no fixed abode, was hit by a lorry on the eastbound carriageway of the A421 near Marston Moretaine shortly before 04:00 on 28 July. A second person was taken to hospital with minor injuries. 

Daniel's family say he was "loved by all that knew him" and was a "polite, helpful and kind man". 

They say he was "not only a great friend, a loving son, brother, uncle and grandson, but most of all a devoted father to his daughters and stepson".

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

Athletics at the Rio Olympics begin on Friday and our local athletes are getting ready.

Long jump champion Greg Rutherford, from Woburn Sands, arrive in Rio this weekend and says he "cannot wait to compete". He currently holds the European, World and Olympic titles.

Bedford's Nigel Levine is to compete in the 400m relay and says he's "so grateful" to make his second Olympic team.

Welwyn Garden City's Jodie Williams tweets, external that she's ready for her last week of training before competing in the 200m next Monday.

The trial of the man accused of murdering Nicola Cross in front of her two children is now due to take place in December.

The 37-year-old was stabbed to death at her home in Hemel Hempstead in September.

Image source, Hertfordshire Police

Marcin Porczynski, 23, of Claymore Avenue in the town, is charged with murder, kidnapping two children and burglary.

Judge Andrew Bright QC at St Albans Crown Court has fixed a trial date for 12 December and granted an extension to the custody time limit for the defendant.